A storm-battered wooden post office in a tiny town on the eastern edge of California is at the center of allegations of neglect and unsafe work conditions. The furor has even led to county officials and the U.S. Postal Service disagreeing on whether the branch is currently open or closed.
The trouble began in early 2023 when the historic snowstorms in California resulted in structural damage and broken pipes to the building in Bridgeport, an unincorporated town of around 500 residents in Mono County. Following the storms, county officials say employees have been forced to work outside in freezing temperatures with no running water or working restrooms.
“There is significant damage to the building, the water system, the sewer system,” Mono County District 2 Supervisor Rhonda Duggan told SFGATE over the phone Tuesday. “There’s no power in this building.”